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Apr 14th, 2018
Satoshi Kodaira wins RBC Heritage in 15th ever start
In play off with Kim Si-woo as Poulter fades
Words: GolfPunk
Japan’s Satoshi Kodaira has won his maiden PGA Tour victory on only his sixth ever outing, as he beat South Korean Kim Si-woo on the third play off hole.
Japan’s Satoshi Kodaira has won his maiden PGA Tour victory at only his fifteenth ever outing, as he beat South Korean Kim Si-woo on the third play off hole.
South Korean Kim Si-woo and Japan’s Satoshi Kodaira were headed to a playoff at the RBC Heritage in South Carolina after finishing regulation tied at 12-under 272 on Sunday.
Kim bogeyed the par-three 17th to lose his one shot lead, and had to fight it out in a sudden death playoff with twenty-eight-year-old Kodaira, who was in the clubhouse after posting a five-under-par 66 that also included a bogey at the tricky 17th hole.
He won the third play off hole, when he knocked in a 25-footer for birdie at the par 3 17th, which had previously derailed him. Kim had a twenty-footer to take it to another hole, but could not make the putt, and a maiden PGA Tour victory was Kodaira’s.
Kodaira has won six times on the Japan Golf Tour, but only really came to our attention at this year’s Masters, when he featured in one of our team picks, and came in T28, whilst Kim finished T24.
He has now won himself a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour, which is a proper Willie Wonker ticket.
In other news, Ian Poulter was going along OK with a one under 35 on the front nine, with two birdies and a bogey.
But then wheels started to come off, and he had five bogeys on the back nine to card a 40 for that nine, and a final round of 75, so +4 for the round against the par of 71. He finished an ultimately frustrating week T7 at nine under.
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